Blogpost: Bill Murray and Jan Vogler @ Sydney Opera House

Posted by T • November 10, 2018

Posted by T • November 10, 2018

Bill Murray and Jan Vogler

Opera House

Sydney, Australia

November 9, 2018

Bill Murray.

Actor.

Entertainer.

Comedian.

I have yet to meet somebody who dislikes the man and it is certainly a hard feat giving the decades of laughter and bemusement his career has bestowed on us. His collaboration with classically trained cellist Jan Vogler, a luminary in his own right, is centred around a well-documented chance meeting at an airport which evolved to what found its incarnation tonight at Sydney’s Opera House.

Flanked by pianist Vanessa Perez and Jan Vogler’s partner Mira Wang, who complete the troika that Bill Murray finds himself in the midst of.

The evening is an interesting off kilter melange of highbrow classical music interludes, Murray reciting classics of the tenor of North American prose and expertly infusing poetry with his trademark DNA and him crooning, dancing, joking and everything in between, meandering territory from Mark Twain via Franz Schubert to Walt Whitman.

Now, the audience is dotted with aficionados wearing Team Zissou red hats to show their devoutness and it is palpable that a lot of Murray’s fans think that he is a genius and can do no wrong. I personally found Murray’s refreshing first address to the audience quite fitting: The performance is many things – funny, thought provoking, whimsical, tedious, drawn out, hilarious, enjoyable, deliberately foolish, heartfelt, silly, sad and self-indulgent.

The one constant is the superb performance of Jan Vogler and the female constituents of his chamber outfit, whose effortless deliveries are a delight to not only listen but also eye candy.

It certainly is an experience to see Murray perform in the third dimension and reassuring how this fine mimic achieves big results with the tiniest of gestures and the fact that he does not take himself too seriously while still showing respect for the works he is presenting and referencing, however, at times his emissions are a mixed bag. The good thing is that he is aware of it and does not try to camouflage the patchy pointless parts but is committed to the performance with conviction. A man that exists in multitudes.

The audience lapped it up and with most of them, Murray can do no wrong. Despite the adoration, the more than two-hour long performance was moving, powerful, surprisingly physical and unlike anything that you would expect based on the backgrounds of the individual protagonists, the poetry recited and or the music being performed.

---

Photo: Bill Murray and Jan Vogler - New Worlds album cover

T • November 10, 2018

More recent blogposts

Coheed and Cambria, Taking Back Sunday and Foxing

Posted by Mirela Z. • August 27, 2025

Coheed and Cambria, Taking Back Sunday, Foxing Budweiser Stage Toronto, Canada August 24, 2025 What a treat catching two great bands Taking Back Sunday and Coheed and Cambria co-headlining on their 2025 North American tour. Special guest Foxing, from St. Louis, Missouri, opened the night with a 30 minute set, weaving delicate melodies into explosive waves of emotion that filled … Read more

Chevelle – Bright as Blasphemy tour 2025

Posted by Mirela Z. • August 23, 2025

Chevelle @ Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto, Canada August 20, 2025 That feeling, when you’re having the best experience ever, and you don’t want it to end! Chevelle delivered a powerful headlining performance marking a high-energy stop on their 38-date North American Bright as Blasphemy tour, with supporting acts Dead Poet Society and Asking Alexandria setting the stage. A wall … Read more

Less Than Jake Summer Circus @ RMA 8/1/25

Posted by Aaron H • August 6, 2025

Less Than Jake - Credit: AMH The circus is in town. Less Than Jake are currently on their Summer Circus Tour promoting their latest EP, Uncharted. They've brought along ska and punk legends Fishbone and The Suicide Machines and ska newcomers, Catbite. Together, they've melded a perfect mish-mash of bands suitable for all ages. Riverside was in for a good … Read more

The Hives @ Enmore Theatre

Posted by T • July 26, 2025

The Hives Enmore Theatre Sydney, Australia July 23, 2025 Let’s be clear: The Hives didn’t play a show. They detonated one. On a cool Sydney night at the Enmore Theatre, the Swedish kings of garage rock stormed the stage like tuxedoed insurgents, staging a velvet-clad coup d’état against anything remotely resembling restraint. It wasn’t a concert. It was controlled chaos … Read more

Gob @ Peterborough Music Festival

Posted by Mirela Z. • July 22, 2025

Gob @ Peterborough Music Festival Peterborough, Ontario, Canada July 19, 2025 Gob nailed their set, energizing both die‑hard and casual fans alike. The band’s punchy hooks and raw performance had the crowd bouncing throughout the 90‑minute set, delivering both nostalgia and vitality. A perfect addition to a summer night in Peterborough! All photos by @front.row.fans Read more

Murder City Devils/Animal Self @ GHCH 7/12/25

Posted by Aaron H • July 17, 2025

Murder City Devils - Credit: AMH The Murder City Devils don't get out much anymore, so when the opportunity presented itself, I made my way down to Pomona to catch one of the 2 shows they had lined up in California. They brought along Animal Self, which features Kareem Karam and Coady Willis from Murder City Devils as well as … Read more

Daryl Gussin - A Year In Submission

Posted by Jiffy Marx • July 16, 2025

Can't say my review of it will be as well written or entertaining as this book of 50 poems by Daryl Gussin. Daryl is the managing editor of Razorcake. Daryl was in an awesome punk band called God Equals Genocide. Daryl is my friend but also possibly my spirit animal. Part of me wonders if the leather jacket that Daryl … Read more

Tripping Daisy North American Tour 2025

Posted by Mirela Z. • July 13, 2025

Tripping Daisy @ Lee's Palace Toronto, Canada July 11, 2025 Tripping Daisy brought us back to 1995 and sounded better than ever! When the crowd sings along 30 years later there’s no better feeling! All photos by @front.row.fans Read more

Death from Above 1979

Posted by Mirela Z. • July 6, 2025

Death from Above 1979 @ SummerStage New York, USA July 2, 2025 Death from Above 1979 tore through SummerStage with pure, unfiltered energy. The Toronto duo delivered a thunderous set packed with fuzzed-out bass, pounding drums, and raw vocals that had the crowd thrashing from the first note. From classics like “Romantic Rights” to newer bangers, the band was tight, … Read more

Sum 41 @ Scotiabank Arena

Posted by Mirela Z. • June 19, 2025

Sum 41 final shows - day 1 of 2 Scotiabank Arena Toronto Canada Jan. 28, 2025 All photos by @front.row.fans   Read more